The hosts were fully focussed in the first half against Hoffenheim and succeeded in creating a number of decent chances after winning possession - with the first threats on the TSG net coming from efforts from Dora Zeller (7’) and Viktoria Pinther (12’)
Leverkusen then had the upper hand up to the break. “Hoffenheim were clearly better than us in the first half,” declared Feifel. On 17 minutes, Bayer 04 keeper Anna Klink saved a dangerous effort on goal from Hoffenheim and then kept a clean sheet up to the break. But there was bad news for the Werkself Women in the first half: Jessica Wich pulled up off the ball and went off in pain. The captain had a calf injury.
The hosts were on their toes at the start of the second half. The Feifel team were rewarded for the lightning start with lead on 46 minutes - Dora Zeller scored. However, Hoffenheim did not allow the Bayer 04 lead to hold and Jana Beuschlein netted an equaliser in a break eight minutes later. The Werkself Women looked unsettled with score at 1-1 - and TSG exploited the situation: Jule Brand scored on 63 minutes and the tables were turned. The visitors took control of the game after the hour mark. Lena Lattwein scored from the penalty spot to make it 3-1 at the start of the final fifteen minutes (76’).
The Bayer 04 Women pulled a goal back a few minutes later; Melissa Friedrich converted a spot-kick to make it 3-2 (85’). The Werkself then suffered a double blow. First, Anne Fühner scored on 90 minutes and, just two minutes later, Paulina Krumbiegel rounded off the scoring in added time for the final scoreline of 5-2.
The defeat sees the Bayer 04 Women slip down to seventh in the table. “We have to be a lot calmer in possession and in build-up play. We lose the ball too often and frequently make the wrong decisions. We have to go back being more compact in defence,” explained the coach looking forward to the next opponents.
Next up:
On Sunday 15 November, the Werkself Women are away to SV Meppen on matchday nine in the FLYERALARM Women’s Bundesliga. The kick-off at the bottom-of-the-table side is at 14.00 CET.
Match stats:
TSG Hoffenheim: Dilfer – Brand (Hartig 69’), Naschenweng (Steinert 77’), Rall, Bühler, Wienroither – Harsch (Dongus 77’), Hagel (Krumbiegel 69’), Lattwein – Waßmuth (Fühner 88’), Beuschlein
Bayer 04: Klink – Sahlmann (Kerschowski 46’), Wirtz, Turanyi, Marti (Rackow 84’) – Wich (Csiszár 46’), Brüggemann, Jessen (Kögel 46’) – Zeller, Nikolic, Pinther (Friedrich 46’)
Goals: 1-0 Zeller (46’), 1-1 Beuschlein (54’), 1-2 Brand (63’), 1-3 Lattwein (76’), 2-3 Friedrich (84’), 2-4 Fühner (90’), 2-5 Krumbiegel (90+2’)
Booked: Nikolic (78’) – Dongus (86’)
Referee: Katrin Rafalski (Bad Zwesten)
A simple approach to sport with games, fun and a highlight at the end: Bayer 04 organised a very special training session for 40 participants aged between six and 27 in cooperation with the Football Association of the Middle Rhine (FVM). At the day of action for women and girls with disabilities at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, many of the participants gained their first experience of football.
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On Saturday, 28 March, the lights will go out again at the BayArena from 20:30 pm to 21:30. As in previous years, Bayer 04 once again take part in the WWF Earth Hour campaign under the motto "We're switching off" as the club wants to set a collective example for more climate and environmental protection together with people, cities and companies around the world.
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Less than a year ago, Kerim Alajbegovic moved from the Bayer 04 U19s to Austrian top-flight club FC Red Bull Salzburg. The forward’s development since then has been impressive. In 36 matches, including in the UEFA Europa League, the 18-year-old has scored 14 goals. In the summer, Alajbegovic, now a Bosnia international, will return to Leverkusen - and thus not only achieve the next milestone still early in his career, but also enrich the Werkself squad with his footballing versatility and determination.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with forward Nathan Tella ahead of schedule. The versatile 26-year-old, who can be deployed as a right winger, false nine or left winger, has penned a new contract to 30 June 2031. Tella joined the Werkself from Championship club Southampton in 2023. His previous contract ran to the summer of 2028.
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Nathan Tella has extended his contract with Bayer 04 to 2031. In an interview with Werkself TV, the 26-year-old talks about fulfilling his dreams, his positive outlook on life and his goals for the future. He answers the questions in English - all except the last one, which he addresses directly to the fans...
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